Carlos Sandoza Jr.
Carlos Manuel Sandoza Jr. '''(born September 9, 1955) is an American politician who served as the 29th Governor of Nevada from 2011 to 2015. In April 2017, Sandoza announced his candidacy for the United States Senate seat held by Republican Incumbent Lavonne Sunshine. Sandoza is widely known for winning the closest election in United States political history, and for pursuing an incredibly liberal social agenda while serving as Governor, which included the Legalization of Marijuana and Prostitution and the introduction of comprehensive sex education into Nevada's educational curriculum. Sandoza also attempted to legalize Same-Sex Marriage during his tenure, but this effort was unsuccessful. Early Life Carlos Sandoza Jr. was born to Patricia and Carlos Sandoza Sr., the latter of which was a power-player in the world of Agriculture. The couple were the owners and proprietors of a massive national farming and ranching corporation by the name of Sandoza Farms, with the net worth of the couple combined nearing 1 billion dollars. As a result, young Carlos was showered with extensive attention in the form of presents and aides. As the young man grew older however, he began to detest his inherent wealth, noting in his private journals a "distinct feeling of uselessness and a lack of accomplishment." Carlos intended to rectify this depression through sports, participating in Baseball throughout his adolescence and playing well enough to be considered for the minor leagues, despite a lack of attention from his parents and a familial ambivalence towards the sport. At 18, though, his father's abrupt death from a stress-related aneurysm left Carlos Jr. in control of the company, his mother having divorced Carlos Sr. just 7 months before to run off with a movie star whose career ended in a automobile accident that killed them both. Business Career and Early Political Involvement Carlos was out of his depth, struggling to manage something he had little to no interest in while abandoning his dreams of playing baseball professionally. As the years passed, under guidance from his Godfather, a member of the controversial Malvena Family, he managed to get the hang of the business, and by the age of 30 he had become a cutthroat businessman, despised by many but "respected by all". According to a woman who claims to have been close to Sandoza, dealings with organized crime became more common, and though he never became beholden to it, he certainly didn't resist their efforts to use certain locations as fronts for certain "operations". In 1990, Sandoza entered the political arena. Having become a huge business player worth billions, it was only natural he thought that the next step was to influence the people in control of the rules and regulations that were governing his business practice. Pouring money into Congressional races across the country, Sandoza's efforts helped the Democratic Majority expand in the midterms. Upon the launch of the Tom Pallot Presidential campaign, Sandoza immediately began pumping large sums of money into the Governor and his associates, hoping to be rewarded with legislation that was beneficial to his business interests in the event of an unlikely victory for the dark horse from Arkansas. Pallot won, and subsequently approached Sandoza to accept a job as the Deputy Secretary of the Interior, a position he had no interest in. Always acting as an executive, being made to work underneath someone else in a foreign department was out of the question at the time, and he made such concerns apparent. Keeping a close relationship with the President and his Wife, Sandoza visited the White House often, and donated a substantial amount of money to the man's reelection campaign in '96. Ultimately, the offer of Secretary of Agriculture was put forth, and Sandoza accepted. Secretary of Agriculture Throughout his tenure Sandoza used his office to push for the loosening of regulation in the industry and the forging of Private-Public partnerships. Allegations of conflicts of interest were overshadowed by the Lipinski Scandal, and the Secretary performed well enough and was visible enough to be put on the bottom of Vice President Alvin Blood's short list for Vice President in 2000, though he was not believed to have made the final 5. Blood would later clarify this by indicating that Sandoza was "choice number 6". Mayor of Reno With experience in Washington, Sandoza decided that politics was a good fit for him, and he ran for Mayor of Reno as a test run as an Independent. No candidate could beat him due to spending alone, and he secured the position in a non-partisan election with 71% of the Vote. Carlos was subsequently re-elected every two years, with the margins of victory staying about the same each cycle. As Mayor he was best known for the massive infrastructure effort he lobbied for in 2003 which eventually payed off, resulting in revitalized roads, bridges, buildings, and a massive increase in tourist traffic. Other achievements include the successful introduction of anti-discrimination ordinances regarding the LGBT community and the successful effort to increase the power of Reno's mayor, who is now allowed to Veto City Council resolutions. 2010 Gubernatorial Campaign Primaries With his name becoming well known in Democratic Circles, Sandoza was approached by lobbyists and Nevada party officials regarding a run for the Governorship. Sandoza surprised them by letting them know that he intended to run as an Independent, something they eventually agreed would be a "bad idea". Accepting the mantle as the favorite of party officials, Sandoza entered the race for Governor in a crowed field of maverick candidates, including a adult film star and a well-funded 85 year old woman. Following the debates, which were admittedly tough for the man who was "used to being surrounded by yes-men", Sandoza began to drop in the polls, hovering at around 28%, just 10 points ahead of the ironically named Chastity Love. Ultimately, Sandoza benefited from a high Latino turnout, earning 33% of the vote and ending up in a run off with Miss. Love. Sandoza gained national attention for his single debate success, against Miss. Love, in which he suggested that her constituents would be just a few of the many people she would be screwing over if she was elected. Sandoza won the primary 65-35. '''2010 Nevada Democratic Gubernatorial Primary 2010 Nevada Democratic Gubernatorial Runoff General Election The General Election was the closest in United States History. Sandoza faced off against State Attorney General Camille Yarkand, who, while not as well funded, was extremely popular and the favorite to win the contest. One Gubernatorial Debate was held, and it was declared a draw, with Sandoza taking serious flak over his ambitious proposal to Legalize Prostitution statewide and Yarkand suggesting that President Winston was born in Australia, thus making him ineligible for the Presidency. Chastity Love ran an independent campaign that continuously polled at around 4% destroying Sandoza's chance at a majority of the popular vote. Sandoza's victory was a colossal upset, with Yarkand being the projected winner by 3 points. The final vote tally after recounts placed Sandoza at 48.846% of the vote, and Yarkand at 48.844%, a margin of around 14 votes. Depressed turnout of Republican Moderates on Yarkand's side has been pointed to as the cause of her disruptive loss, and though Sandoza's initial 38 vote lead was diminished, he managed to hang on to his slim plurality. Governor of Nevada Sandoza gained credit as a political genius for his winning campaign, and his ensuing political capital was quickly cashed in for the fulfillment of several huge campaign promises. In 2012, during his second year as Governor, Sandoza strong armed and traded in favors to narrowly allow for the Legalization of Prostitution statewide, creating a national firestorm that alienated Social Conservatives permanently and energized a previously dormant class of Left-Leaning and Moderate Libertarians. Conservative Radio Host Chuck Sajack was forced to backtrack after suggesting Sandoza was the "Illegal Latino Antichrist", and more than one Fox News host's reputation was wounded over remarks that were considered racist or inappropriate. Anticipating a backlash, Sandoza shoved through Marijuana legalization as well, sending state Republicans into a frenzy and, in his own words to an aide, "killing all chances of reelection" in the face of an increasingly outraged and upset Republican base. Legislative Pickups on the state level for Republicans were surprisingly low, but the margin in both houses was narrowed enough for Sandoza to reconsider his style. While his personal approval rating violently fluctuated, polling showed that the majority of state residents, 62%, agreed with his recent policy changes, a finding that ended up wiping away any hesitation Sandoza had about his "direct" style of Governance. Nevada's revenue increased significantly, with Tourism, Prostitution, and Marijuana Sales bolstering Sandoza's budget and turning Nevada into one of the most fiscally booming and growing states in the union. Abstinence only education was ditched in favor of comprehensive sex-ed, and a Sandoza supported bill that would have removed references to God from State Buildings was defeated by 5 votes from his own party. The state prospered under Sandoza, but at the end of his objectively impressive term, his approval sat at an even 42%. Facing an overwhelming conservative backlash, Sandoza recognized that he had little to no chance of reelection, so he declined to run for a second term, leaving State Assemblyman Mark Johnson, cousin of infamous California Congressman Donald Johnson, to take up the State Party's Mantle. Johnson lost the general, and Sandoza returned as the Chairman of Sandoza Farms, his last action as Governor being a failed attempt to legalize Same-Sex Marriage in his state. Post-Governorship Given his large and controversial political personality, Sandoza was mentioned as a possible Candidate for the 2016 Democratic Primary, though he vehemently denied interest. Sandoza endorsed Maryland Senator Anthony Conti in the primaries and declined to endorse a candidate in the General election due to Gianna Carrollton's presence on the Democratic ticket. United States Senate Campaign Before his announcement, Sandoza hinted at a possible intention to run for the United States Senate against Republican Incumbent Lavonne Sunshine, seriously floating a potential candidacy on national television while being interviewed on CNN's "State of the Union" with Jake Tapper in March of 2017. Sandoza would make his candidacy official in April via tweet, and ultimately launch a full-scale campaign in late June. Political Positions General Outlook Sandoza's views are widely considered to be representative of Left-Libertarianism, with his very strong social liberalism going hand in hand with a moderate view on economics. He has described himself as both a "Common-Sense Liberal" and a "Progressive Democrat". Social Issues Abortion Sandoza is strictly Pro-Choice and has donated considerable sums of money to Planned Parenthood. He has claimed that to restrict access to abortion at any time in a pregnancy is to violate a woman's right to bodily sovereignty. Affirmative Action Sandoza is in favor of Affirmative Action policies in universities and has called them "necessary" in order to check an "institutionally biased" system of admissions. Climate Change Sandoza embraces the theory of man-made climate change and has said that there "is always more to be done" in the fight against global warming. Death Penalty Sandoza does not believe that the Government should be in the business of killing people, stating that "Life away from the rest of society is sufficient punishment." As Governor, Sandoza explored options to move towards eliminating the Death Penalty in Nevada, but legislation regarding the matter never hit his desk. Drug Policy Sandoza has called for the complete nationwide legalization of Marijuana, calling it "just another plant" and often touting its medical benefits. He has spoken in favor of needle exchanges, stressing that a large part of beating drug addiction is having an active support network. Euthanasia Sandoza is in favor of Euthanasia for terminally ill individuals, saying "It is not for me to decide what is best for someone else, and I cannot possible imagine the pain that someone must be going through to consider that option. I think it has to remain on the table." Flag Burning Sandoza has indicated that he believes Flag Burning is protected speech under the First Amendment, calling it "a particularly unfortunate form of legal protest" that "draws a lot of bad attention.". Gun Control Sandoza is generally in favor of increased gun control measures, including limits on magazine capacity. However, he does not support firearm confiscation or the banning of Semi-Automatic Rifles such as the AR-15. Law Enforcement and Racial Issues Sandoza has endorsed the Black Lives Matter movement and has called institutional racism a "grave threat" to communities of color. He is in favor of mandatory body cameras for police and for extensive retraining of police forces nationwide, as well as community policing. He has routinely spoken against what he perceives as the militarization of the police force. LGBT Rights Sandoza has been a lifelong proponent of Same-Sex Marriage, and he is noted to have pressed president Pallot on the issue during a Cabinet meeting in 1998, speaking against DOMA and Don't Ask Don't Tell. He is in favor of transgender individuals using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity. In regards to the "Cake Issue", Sandoza has made the claim that unless the business in question is a private club, patrons have a reasonable expectation of being provided service regardless of sexual orientation Prostitution Sandoza is in favor of the complete legalization of Prostitution, which he considers to be a "victimless crime" with "no real loser". His legalization of prostitution in Nevada has proven to be an economic success, and he has heralded it as his "greatest accomplishment". He believes that the ability to control and regulate the industry legally is key, and that any given state has "nothing to lose and everything to gain" by doing so. Women in Combat and the Draft Sandoza has expressed support for Women in Combat, saying that "women are stronger than men in many ways" and indicating that they should have access to the same opportunities. Sandoza is also in favor of abolishing the draft, with his position being that the Government has "no right" to compel someone to "die in a war they never wanted". Domestic Issues Education Sandoza is in favor of a national curriculum, though he has noted that Common Core is a "failed relic of the Shrub Administration". He has spoken in support of tuition-free community college on more than one occasion, and has called it "A very admirable and attainable goal". Healthcare Sandoza has endorsed a Swiss Model for the United States of America, in which there are no free state-provided health services, but private health insurance is compulsory for all persons residing in the country. He has explained this system as being geared toward keeping the system competitive across State lines, promoting general public health and reducing costs while encouraging individual responsibility. He calls it the "attainable" version of Universal Healthcare Immigration and Sanctuary Cities Sandoza in in favor of Amnesty for undocumented persons living in the United States, and is vehemently against the construction of a wall on the nation's southern border, calling the idea "stupid" and "money wasting". Sandoza has repeatedly stressed the economic benefit of immigrants in both a historical and modern context, and has called DACA "basic human decency". While Mayor of Reno, Sandoza implemented policies that could potentially be construed as those of a "sanctuary city". Privacy and Edmund Rainden Sandoza is firmly against the expanded version of the Patriot Act, calling it "a gross violating of civil liberties" and he is against forcing private companies to hand over protected resources and information to the Federal Government. He has called Edmund Rainden an "American Hero" and expressed support for other whistle-blowers. Syrian Refugees Sandoza is in favor of increasing the number of Syrian refugees coming into the country, calling the humanitarian crisis in the Levant "a tragedy that's impossible to quantify" and saying that the United States has a "moral imperative" to assist those fleeing slaughter at the hands of the Assad Government. Voter ID Sandoza is against Voter ID laws, claiming that they are used by the GOP to discriminate against minority and disadvantaged populations across the country. Economic Issues Farm Subsidies Sandoza is against farm subsidies and has extensively lobbied against them. Minimum Wage Sandoza is in favor of minimum wage being set by individual businesses, saying that those who treat their employees badly will "get what's coming to them". He has however, also stated that 10$ an hour should be the baseline federal minimum. The minimum wage provided to domestic workers at Sandoza farms is 13.00$ an hour. Net Neutrality Sandoza is in favor of Net Neutrality and has generously donated to activist groups seeking to maintain it. Taxes Sandoza is in favor of a Progressive Tax rate, though he has often expressed confidence that revenue could be better gained through methods other than an income tax hike, which he generally opposes. Trade Issues Sandoza is a proponent of Free Trade, calling proponents of protectionism "misinformed" and "misguided". He is a strong proponent of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, though he is also in favor of partially renegotiating NAFTA to get a "better deal". Personal Life Sandoza is unmarried and has no children, though he has had relationships with several high profile figures, including Pamela Anderson. He is believed to be currently dating Mexican actress Juanita Sorona. Category:Bachelors Category:Democrats Category:Governor Category:Mayors